The Whispers of Shadows - Azriel

55

After two hours of Nyx sleeping on top of Aurora and her begging Azriel or Feyre to take him, she finally gave up the fight. Her legs were tucked up on the couch, her head rested on the cushion, and arms wrapped around the boy. He stilled snoozed on her shoulder, but has climbed up so his knees and bum rested on her breasts and his head was beside hers on the cushion. Aurora was falling asleep, too. Azriel spent his time talking to Feyre while she painted. Finally, Rhysand came back into the room. His eyes fell on Aurora and Nyx, a smile growing on his lips.

"He's sleeping," she whispered, lifting her shoulder slightly. Rhysand grinned wider and took the sleeping boy into his arms. Nyx whimpered and stretched his legs out as Rhysand lifted him and held him like a newborn. The winged boy nuzzled into Rhys's arm and promptly fell back asleep. Aurora stretched out with a groan and glared at Azriel, who was sitting back on the couch with a grin.

"You bonded with him," Az shrugged. Aurora rolled her eyes and moved over beside him. His arm looped around her shoulder and tugged her into his side. Rhysand pressed a kiss to Feyre's head before turning back to the couple.

"We will be going to the Court of Nightmare's in a couple hours. We are all going, Nyx will be watched by maids. Aurora, you are welcome to join us if you'd like, I understand if you do not wish to," Rhysand explained. She wasn't sure if she'd like to go. Aurora understood that they need to hold a confident and powerful look upon them when they enter the Hewn City, and she wasn't sure if she'd be able to do that.

"I'll let you know," she responded. Rhysand gave  her a nod before taking Feyre's hand and the two of them carried Nyx out of the sitting room.

"What do you think?" Azriel asked, stretching his wings as he stood. Aurora followed and shrugged.

"I think I can do it. I've faced worse," she murmured as they left the sitting room. They climbed the stairs in silence and entered Aurora's bedroom. She thought about the fact that they still had yet to spend a night in Azriel's room, but it became a second nature for them both to be in hers.

Aurora began stripping from her clothes and headed towards the bathing chamber. She took her hair up with a ribbon as she waited for the hot water to fill. Azriel came in behind her, already nude. Her body trembled with goosebumps as his hands ran along her waist and stomach before he leant and dumped a good amount of soap into the tub.

The two silently bathed, taking turns washing each other and enjoying the sense of being home. It was peace and bliss in every way. The feeling of the Shadowsinger's hands in her hair, the scent of the pine and juniper soaps, the mountains outside of the windows. This was home.

Their bath had lasted until the water grew cold. Aurora had dried off and wrapped herself in a robe, Azriel had winnowed to his own room to get ready. Aurora had no idea what she was in for at the Hewn City. She knew of its debauchery and utter feral ways, she knew that every one of them would have to look like the creatures of darkness that the citizens believed they were. The last time she was there, Aurora was not seen as a creature of darkness. No, she had been seen as a scared young girl being dragged out by a High Lord that did not belong in that throne room, bleeding and screaming. She'd show them tonight, however, that none of that affected her, even if it did.

Aurora let out a sigh just as a knock sounded at her door. Her brow rose. She wasn't aware how long she had sat at her vanity and combed through her hair, but the room was much darker now. Anxiety ripped through her. Aurora opened the bedroom door and Mor and Feyre stood in the hall, a gown- no, a strip of fabric laid over Mor's shoulder.

"We figured you wouldn't have the right dress, so we came prepared," Mor grinned, slipping past Aurora into the room. Feyre followed with a quiet laugh. Aurora couldn't tear her eyes from the females. Feyre, tattoos on full display, wore nothing more than a black fabric hung over her torso, hardly covering her nipples, rear, or groin. Small glints of silver shimmered through the sheer fabric, and a silver metal chain was hooked around her waist to keep the 'dress' in tact. Her eyes were smoked with black pigment and lips painted Mor's classic red. A gorgeous silver gilded crown sat atop her golden brown curls. Aurora could hardly breathe by the time her eyes fell on Mor.